Not Afraid to Die
by ladyreapermc
Summary: Hotch and JJ get trapped in a sadistic killer's dungeon. Extremely AU. Warning: Character's death!


_**Not Afraid To Die**_

"_**The first step to eternal life, is you have to die." Chuck Palahniuk**_

When JJ accepted the case that took the team to a small county in Long Island where young teenage girls were being kidnapped, tortured and killed, she would never, even in her worst nightmares, foresaw herself being trapped in some kind of dungeon, where all kinds of apparatus, obviously used to inflict pain in its victims, hung from the low stone ceiling with her mortally injured boss.

As she sat on the cold, dirty floor with Hotch's upper body on her lap, her hands making pressure on the knife wound on his chest, but blood continued to stubbornly ooze through her fingers, JJ felt herself barely controlling her urge to cry.

"Hey…" Aaron spoke in a soft voice, hand shakily reaching to stroke her cheek. "Everything will be fine, they'll find us." JJ let out a shaky, breathless laugh.

"You're the one who's hurt; I'm supposed to be comforting you, not the way around, Hotch."

He chuckled too, but it soon turned into a violent coughing fit. JJ wasn't sure if it was the rancid air or the fact that the knife might have perforated a lung and the organ was now slowly filling with blood that caused the cough. She hoped for the first, but the bit of blood staining the corner of his mouth when the cough ceased told her it was probably the second. JJ wondered if the rest of the team would find them in time. She pressed more forcefully on his chest and he hissed in pain.

"Stop." He pleaded, choking on his words, his weak hands trying to push hers away. JJ just pressed down even harder, desperately shaking her head.

"No way, I'm not letting you give up, Hotch. You're not dying in my arms."

"JJ…" His hand moved up to hold her chin and force her to meet his eyes. His expression was so serene, despite the pain he must been feeling. "Trust me." He gasped. "Let go."

Hesitantly, JJ pulled her hands away. Immediately, the blood started to flow faster out of Hotch's chest. His breathing became ragged and after long, excruciating minutes, it ceased completely. The media liaison didn't hold her tears any longer then; she buried her face on Hotch's shoulder and sobbed brokenly.

She must have been crying for about five minutes when the body in her arms convulsed and Hotch suddenly sat up, gasping desperately for air. JJ immediately pulled back in shock, watching as he took in his surroundings, trying to figure out where he was and what was happening. Hotch's eyes finally landed on her.

"JJ." He spoke quietly, reaching for her, but she pushed herself out of his reach, the fear written on her face was very familiar to him. "It's alright." But he didn't try to touch her again.

"What are you?" She finally managed to ask after a couple of minutes of warily watching him.

"I'm, for lack of better word, immortal." Hotch replied with a sigh.

"That's just…." JJ shook her head, baffled. "Impossible. It's stuff from movies and books… It's not real." She slowly edged closer, carefully reaching for the area of his chest where the stab wound should be. The skin there was smooth and unmarked; the only trace of it was the blood drying on its surface. "It can't be real…" She whispered, but it held no conviction.

Hotch closed his hand over hers, drawing her attention back to his face. He smiled tentatively at her. He didn't want her to be afraid of him. After a couple of tense seconds, she smiled back and he felt relief washing over him.

"You're okay, then?" She asked uncertainly. Sure the wound was closed and he seemed mostly unharmed, but still…

"Yes, I'm fine. What about you?" JJ let out a shaky laugh.

"Very freaked out." Hotch chuckled too.

"Understandable."

"How long have you….?" She trailed off, looking at him with a frown of curiosity.

"A while." He replied vaguely. He wasn't ready to talk about this just yet.

"Anyone else knows?"

"Dave does. And Gideon." He paused for a second, pensive. "And I think Garcia suspects, but only because she has a very open mind and too much resources."

JJ chuckled a little before opening her mouth to continue her inquire, but the sound of the heavy wooden door of the dungeon being opened and Morgan's voice calling their name cut her off.

"Told you they would find us." JJ smiled at that and watched as Hotch stood up, buttoning up his suit jacket over the bloody shirt. He helped her up to her feet and smiled too. "Come on, let's get out of here." She just nodded in response.

xxx

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I wanted to write immortal!hotch like highlander, but he turns out too much like Captain Jack Harkness. Oh well! *shrugs*

Disclaimer: doesn't belong to me... I'd never take AJ out of the show! ¬¬


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